


Vengeance

by Substance



Series: Frailty [3]
Category: League of Legends
Genre: F/F, Fantasy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-03-09 09:53:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3245300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Substance/pseuds/Substance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to "Dreams" - Sejuani rides with Volibear and Udyr to investigate the loss of a border town. Forces collide and Sejuani has to pay a heavy price to save the future and the woman she loves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vengeance

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the rights to 'League of Legends'. This is written solely for entertainment, not profit. Please don't sue me, Rito.
> 
> Rated T for some references and mild horror.
> 
> This story is the third in a series, following "Infinity" and "Dreams" then preceding "Prey" and "Gemini" (also on this site). I've tried to make each story coherent on its own but reading them in sequence is recommended. The fics concern an intimate (and rather antagonistic) relationship between a jungler and an adc. I apologise to any supports who feel threatened by this.
> 
> Also our two lovers are both women. If you object, I advise you to stop reading.

I ride across the Freljord. It is summer and our midnight sun burns pale and high. The wind is not cold but it saws deep into my flesh. There is _anger_ in the air. Nature is in chaos, flaying all who trespass.

The pain of my allies must be tenfold but they are too proud to show weakness. Volibear gallops on all-fours while Udyr carves through the drift like an arrow through water, spraying snow in his wake.

The very thought of archery makes me snarl like a wounded animal. Against my will, Ashe pierced my heart while I was captive in her dungeon. I fled her shackles but an emblem of our shared curse adorns my wrist. Casting aside all dignity, I had explored my dreams with Volibear’s aid, seeking to unravel my obsession before it destroyed my clan. The storm “rewarded” me with material proof of my love, a golden circle, joined with a clasp in the shape of her bow.

There is nothing to stop me throwing the bracelet away, no dark magic.

I wear it still.

In battle, I hoped to purge my soul. These last few months have been a whirlwind of activity. I planned the most intricate raids on Ashe’s realm, goading her to break this unwelcome ceasefire. Volibear joked that I was trying to push theory rather than objectives. For all his divine wisdom, he had never been one for the _art_ of war. That was my role.

Soon, there were developments. A border town of wavering loyalty grew silent. Messengers were lost. I was eager for blood, so I headed a sortie. There were objections to my personal involvement but _no one_ stands in my way.

 

* * *

 

The walls of Kaiku soar overhead, in spite of the town’s humble size. ‘No obvious damage,’ I think out loud, ‘and no sentries.’ Leaving such high ramparts unmanned is wasteful.

Volibear uncurls. Wide shoulders balance across hind legs, thicker than tree trunks. ‘Well… none that we can see. Are there any vantage points?’

‘If there were, this town would not last a week.’

Udyr paces like a caged lion while we gauge the field. ‘We have to go inside.’ Blue shadows follow his every move. ‘Let _me_ go. I can survive the unexpected.’

If I were being rational, I may have concurred, but I have felt compromised for too long. I must be at the front. ‘We should group. My instincts tell me something is wrong.’ I know Udyr’s mind. He is wilful but can be manipulated. You just have to speak his language.

The gale surges. Volibear tracks the disturbance with his nose. ‘I agree. The balance is… unstable. There are many forces vying for supremacy.’

I watch the horizon for movement. ‘There are no prints beyond our own but if Kaiku was eating from two hands, the Avarosan may be drawn here.’

Udyr’s arms brighten with magical fire. ‘Or the Frostguard.’

‘True.’ I hoped it was the Avarosan. If Lissandra took advantage of our collective weakness, the end would be swift. ‘Expect an ambush.’ I dismount from Bristle. He is an easy target within city walls and I do not risk him lightly. I give no orders. He knows what to do. I test the weight of my flail as he goes to hide.

Udyr looks down at me. He clearly disapproves. ‘You need to stay close. That weapon will save your life once. After that, you are easy prey.’

‘I am _no one_ ’s prey.’

‘Your bravado is empty. I know your limits.’ Udyr only lives because he has no interest in politics. Otherwise, his open disrespect would be intolerable. He is the only member of our legion outside the chain of command. Fortunately, he is never in our base to parade his attitude.

A shadow falls as Volibear stops the argument. ‘We have our roles. There is no need for this.’

‘Agreed,’ I say.

Udyr seems happy to move on. He never had the patience to quarrel at length. ‘I’ll take point.’

 

* * *

 

Kaiku is a strange town. It is a wonder that it stands at all, high houses, large yards, not a single square of communal space, nothing that a disparate group could point to and say “we will fight as one for this”. There is power in self-sufficiency but grave weakness in myopia. You conquer or manage your neighbours. Kaiku ignores them. The first passing tribe should have razed this blemish aeons ago.

I run my fingers along a wall. The stone has been weathered smooth as Avarosan skin. Volibear sees my interest and mimics my touch. He growls in thought. ‘This is very old. It predates our history, a ruin, alive beyond its time.’

‘Not anymore.’ Even the wind has stopped. Our footsteps are quiet, as if the ground refuses to acknowledge our presence. ‘What happened?’

‘Something beyond the ebb and flow of this region… the primal residue is… intoxicating.’

‘It does feel unnatural.’

‘No… this is _hyper_ natural.’

Our conversation reaches Udyr. His green aura flickers. ‘That sounds like the work of an elementalist.’

We exchange worried glances. I heft my weapon. ‘Lissandra…’

Volibear shields me from view. ‘Not just Lissandra.’ He scans the rooftops. ‘Ashe’s bow has a comparable scent.’

This does not convince Udyr, who grunts with contempt. ‘Ashe is no mage. She could not lay a trap without her army. There’s no evidence of them.’ He would rather fight Lissandra. Our feud with the Avarosan is beneath his concern. Luckily for us, he takes pleasure in taunting them when he grows bored, which is most of the time.

Volibear touches my shoulder. He is making the next point so I do not betray myself. ‘Her recent behaviour has been… erratic. She could be alone, or hunting in a small group like ours. Any prior knowledge may lead us astray.’ Volibear knows that Ashe released me. She valued my life above her triumph.

‘Why?’ says Udyr. ‘By your telling, her heart was never in this conflict. I assumed this dull prodding was normal.’ He has not long travelled from Ionia. It is easy to forget, considering his prompt adaptation to the climate.

If Volibear has another excuse prepared, he may keep it. _I_ must take ownership. ‘Ashe made overtures while I was her prisoner. She may be striving to… wangle my consent in her illogical, passive way.’

Udyr frowns. ‘I assumed as much when she didn’t execute you but, after that, why would she change her behaviour unless she had cause?’

‘Are you saying _I_ gave her a reason?’ I make to stare him down. ‘Stop asking me to explain her deeds. Ashe makes no more sense to me than she does to you.’

The earth shakes beneath our feet. Volibear pushes me down to protect me from any falling debris. I could scream in frustration, deprived of sight, agency and sheltered like some frail girl. The paradox of leadership is that once you prove your worth, your life becomes too precious to risk. Volibear is rational, and I value his loyalty, but he must recall that I am his commander, not his queen.

It occurs to me that Volibear has no children but I should not pull that thread.

Soon, he withdraws and I reel with vertigo. I am staring upwards into the ground.

The town is enclosed by a ceiling of ice and rock, emanating a frosty cerulean light. I see that none of the buildings have collapsed. Volibear’s intervention was unnecessary.

My skin crawls as I get back on my feet. Volibear’s fur stands on end. Udyr prowls with his tiger aspect unleashed. I clear the snow from my pauldrons. ‘It has to be Lissandra… or a new power stalks the Freljord.’ At times like this, my lack of arcane sensitivity keeps me firm. ‘If we get to this wall, could you identify it?’

‘Possibly,’ says Udyr.

Volibear’s affirmation is lost beneath his trembling. ‘…if the disturbance is of this land.’

I strike my chest. ‘Then let’s go! We will not cower like vermin.’

 

* * *

 

We reach the perimeter. Volibear is huffing and panting from the war inside his head. Udyr maintains balance by rotating stances. I pray he does not exhaust his strength for when we need it.

Up close, I can see that the wall is a churning mixture of ice, rock, mist and earth. Rivers of electricity wind through the joins. Udyr examines the dome while I tend to Volibear. ‘Can you fight?’ I ask.

He nods. ‘I could use an outlet for this… turmoil.’

‘We will find prey worthy of your might.’

‘Thank you.’ Volibear sniffs. ‘That may be soon. I can smell human and… something else. We must be careful.’

The heat and roar of Udyr’s flame catches my attention. He has apparently failed to burn through the wall. ‘Intriguing,’ he says.

‘What?’ I ask.

‘This dome is… the Freljord itself.’

‘Make sense, Udyr.’

‘You are shaped from the elements but, combined, you are “Sejuani”. Individual parts submerge into the whole and acquire new meaning. Even if a limb was torn from your body, it would remain _your_ limb.’

‘So this is an “arm” of the Freljord, not raw energy?’

Udyr nods. ‘If this is Lissandra’s work, she is tampering with the host that rules Volibear.’

‘That would explain his distress.’

‘I feel his pain. This is sacrilege.’

I am surprised to hear Udyr express sympathy for anyone. ‘Volibear is the chosen of his faith… and Lissandra torments his god?’

‘A theologian would split hairs but you are right.’ Udyr scrutinises me. ‘They say you are destined to rule the Freljord. Do you believe that?’

‘The prophecy was a great inspiration when I was young,’ I remember the pain I endured while holy conviction fuelled my drills, ‘but I must put away childish things. I have no use for “destiny” if my strength is meaningless.’

Udyr grins hungrily. Underneath his feral demeanour, he is actually human but I do speculate. ‘This is why I hunt with _you_ and not Ashe.’

‘What I believe is irrelevant. Ashe received her own vision. We can’t both be right. Exposure to other traditions has taught me the limits of our seers. The only sensible course is to assume we are both wrong.’

‘Or that you are _both_ destined to rule the Freljord.’

My core is in knots. I am enraged at Udyr’s casual sedition… and crestfallen as I could never rule with Ashe, even if it meant spending each day with my beloved. I bare my teeth, expressing myself in a way he understands. ‘Say that again and I will feed you to Bristle.’

‘Your threats are wasted on me. It is a valid conclusion and one that Ashe respects… or you would not be standing here now.’

Volibear’s roar silences our debate. He is close to the ground, muscles coiled, focused on a hidden threat. I run to his side. ‘What is it?’

He struggles to form words. ‘Human… scent… closing.’

It is about time we saw action. Udyr reflects my eagerness. I loosen my joints and swing my flail. ‘Then we fight! In the heart of the void or this frozen cage… the Winter’s Claw do not know fear!’

We charge into the depths, glad to break this awful tension. All we have to do is make this trap another battlefield. Volibear is a crackling dynamo. Given the surge in morale, it chills my blood when he rounds a corner and stops dead _._

I nearly fold at the sight… and the knowledge that he is waiting on _my_ account.

Nothing could prepare me for seeing Ashe again, ready for battle. Her colours alone push nails through my heart, that dark hood with gold trim above alabaster skin, brilliant blue eyes that mirror the glassy prism of her longbow. We stare at each other across the battlefield, paralysed with feeling. I barely notice Tryndamere at her side. Ashe lowers her bow…

Udyr sees the opening and attacks. Volibear follows. Ashe and I break our spell and ready our weapons. However, she was always a perfectionist, lining up the ideal shot when any would do. I launch my flail without pause. There is nothing like the feeling of personal strength, the gratification of your body working in harmony. My weapon sails through the air and buries Ashe in an icy prison. Tryndamere spins away from the brawl to save his wife but Volibear simply hurls him aside. Once Udyr pounces, I know Tryndamere’s fate is sealed.

I drag Ashe into a bed of snow, pinning her with my weight. I close my eyes, aware that her beauty could stay my hand. I can already feel the silky warmth of her neck, the brush of her locks, her delicate, sensual frame. I gasp for air and shudder with longing. I can do this…

Then she touches my wrist...

I look at her again, helplessly. Every feature is ablaze with emotion. Her eyes are wide with fear, her skin is flush and her lip catches on her teeth. She has the tiniest gap between her incisors.

In my dream, she liked to be dominated. My knee is between her legs. Before I can restrain myself, I push towards her groin. A breathy moan escapes her throat. I know that for all her equanimity, her blood runs hot in war and love.

She speaks. The weight of her voice oppresses harder than a thousand storm clouds in the bleakest winter sky. ‘Sej?’ That pet name! She has no right to call me so. Her eager hands clutch at my bracelet, as if it could vanish at any time. ‘How… how did you get this?’ If she recognises it then...

I was wrong. I can’t do this alone.

Breaking her gaze hurts more than breaking my own leg. Volibear’s eyes glow with predatory light. He knows my weakness and had promised to end Ashe’s life should I fail. Wordlessly, I beseech his aid.

The ground shakes at his approach. I am too fearful to look at Ashe. Even if I am doing the right thing, even if I made no promise, nothing changes the fact that I denied her love.

The earth moves, groaning in pain. Something isn’t right. Volibear’s tread is heavy but nature welcomes him.

A frozen shaft pierces the sky, blocking his advance. As I behold the cancerous growth, pain blinds me. Shards of ice tear my flesh to ribbons. The last thing I hear is a witch’s manic laughter and a guttural bellow.

‘You’re in _my_ kingdom now!’

A club strikes my head. I feel blood... colour, taste… nothing.

 

* * *

 

I had no expectations of death. Weak fools presume an ever-after because their lives are empty and meaningless. All is dark but there is a strong air of _potential_. I could see everything and go anywhere… if my senses could permeate this gloom.

A wan blue hand reaches for me. Am I lying down? I grasp it.

The world spins. My hair flows despite the absence of wind and gravity. Before me looms a twisted woman, clad in ancient, decaying armour. Righteous cruelty shines from her pale eyes. Her gaunt features are coated with a spectral membrane that stretches over sharp cheekbones. Her whole being is stripped of warmth and life.

I know who she is. ‘Kalista.’ The spear of vengeance.

‘Yes.’ Her voice is plain and resonant. ‘I have waited for you.’ The darkness yields.

We are in Kaiku, though the dome, and the signs of our battle, have gone. The sky is unlike any I have seen, countless stars, more than our own, but they are grains of dust before the profound emptiness. I remember the purity of the storm atop Volibear’s mountain but even that does not match the impossible depth and majesty of this panorama. Living eyes, constrained by reality, could not see this.

I begin to lose my... footing? Kalista holds me upright. ‘Every star is a point in time, a thought, an emotion. You behold infinity, the boundless heaven you would build on earth, all that for which you fought.’

I bristle at her intimate knowledge, and the implication that I would abandon my crusade because _I_ was happy. ‘Rewarding my failure is unacceptable! I would refuse _all_ this and go back!’

She laughs without joy. ‘Self-denial? That is Avarosan talk.’

I nearly punch her but I have yet to fathom the extent of her power and indulgence. Riling her could be dangerous. ‘I am not wasting my breath on you. Can I change the world from here?’

‘Yes, if you are willing to pay the toll.’ Kalista puts a finger to my lips. Her skin is ghastly, cold and viscous. ‘Time does not flow here. Impatience will not serve you.’

I clench my hand. ‘Fine, you have the advantage… but if you toy with me, I shall remember.’

‘Planning to conquer eternity? Few things amuse me, Sejuani, but you do.’ Kalista walks as if her legs are broken. ‘Your conflict was enjoyable. I prayed that you or Tryndamere would answer fate’s call.’

‘I am disappointed he lives.’ At least I don’t have to bear his company.

‘As am I. Death rejects him at every turn. He is... meant for something else.’ I feel a pang of jealousy. So he is fit to wed Ashe and serve a higher purpose while I have nothing? Kalista points out the buildings. ‘What do you know of Kaiku?’

‘That it has a long history of doing little.’

She climbs one of the houses and bids me to follow. I am learning to adjust my “presence” to navigate but I should not grow too comfortable. This is not how it ends.

We sit together on the roof. It feels strangely adolescent. My peers hunted forbidden places where they could bond in many ways, watching the stars, cooking food, telling stories, heavy petting. I had my personal moments but they were few and far between. It is a shock to be catching up at all, let alone with the spear of vengeance.

Kalista waits for me to settle. ‘Kaiku is nearly as old as the Freljord itself, an empty mockery of a human town, made by hands exploring a concept they could never grasp. It is a weathervane... a “petri-dish”.’ I look at her quizzically. ‘They use it in Zaun to study simple life. These buildings divide human beings so they can be analysed. Lissandra tapped into the same goal when she reduced your civil war to seven people.’

Someone emerges from the opposite building, a young girl, barely a teenager. She is an ideal maiden from illustrated verse, graceful and unblemished. Her smock reveals her long, fair limbs. Blonde hair cascades like a waterfall down her back. For all her classical poise, her face is no sculpture. It is defiantly human, with heavy-lidded eyes and full lips. Kalista grins. ‘You recognise her, of course.’

‘Ashe.’

‘Indeed. She was a pretty girl. One who could have married young and forsworn the bow, found peace as a mother, a trader, a consul. Even the Freljord welcomes those with gentle skills.’

I could have spat. ‘Don’t assume you know the Freljord better than me.’

‘Deny what you will. Your actions speak for you.’ Kalista leans in, as if she could force my accord through intimidation. ‘Volibear is a mighty warrior but that alone does not make him your rock.’

Time accelerates but Ashe’s movements are no quicker. Perception blurs. Instantly, she fortifies the walls then decorates her amendments with roses, creating a fragile beauty, protected from the world. I watch with disdain. ‘Ashe would not do that. She would never shy from her potential, even if she does insist on mothering the feckless.’ Another girl emerges from our own building. She is small and stocky, wearing nothing but an oversized helmet, leather halter and loincloth. She wields a club and a scowl.

Kalista chuckles. ‘You were a brazen young thing.’

Despite her ribbing, I have no cause for embarrassment. ‘I proved that I could bear the cold.’

My younger self hammers at the wall dividing our yards. The flail is a difficult weapon. I did not specialise in its use until I came of age. Ashe responds by gathering the roses to keep them safe.

Impossibly, the stone wall collapses from the onslaught. My younger self discards her club and stalks Ashe. I am galled that Ashe was once taller than me. Her growth spurt had come early.

Flowers scatter and the teenagers fight. My stomach churns as they wrestle to the ground. Soon, they are kissing with a lewd ferocity that would shame adults. The performance can only escalate and I have to look away. Kalista is unflappable. ‘This is from _your_ mind.’

‘I have no desire to watch... _children_ romp like seasoned whores.’

‘You were no older when you claimed your first.’

I have painful memories of that day. She was nearly a grown woman. The girlish bodies of my peers held no interest for me. She acquiesced with humour and resignation. I awoke the next morning, older and wiser but profoundly sad. ‘I believed... that I felt as a man, so I followed their example and earned my pleasure.’ I grow small. Scars adorn my flesh but few cut as deep. Nothing hurts as much as a closed door, something gone forever, an impossibility. ‘I left, empty-handed… there was one prize I could not take.’

‘Love,’ Kalista says without inflection, ‘you can take it... just not the kind _you_ need.’

‘What would you know?’

‘I was mortal once. Love and vengeance are rarely apart.’

Thankfully, the wanton display is over. Against my will, I picture a wild teenhood in Ashe’s frenzied clutch. I _ache_. If my spirit feels mortal anguish with no relief then eternity must be hell.

Ashe is now alone, shuffling in a daze, her hair and clothes dishevelled. She rubs her nose and repairs the wall. Within seconds, it is done. I blink and she is an adult, holding a simple bow, all her focus on one target. Nothing else exists. The arrow strikes true. She retrieves it, another perfect shot. Her stony precision is glorious. Those lazy fools in Piltover, with their mechanical short-cuts, would never attain such beauty.

Kalista flexes her arms, going through the motion of launching a spear. ‘Magnificent, isn’t she? All that virtue and compassion... gone with the snap of a bowstring. She becomes the weapon.’ Her sincere admiration is clear. ‘Tell me. Did you ever wonder why such a personable creature would submerge her bleeding heart so utterly?’

‘Her clan is pathetic. I would forget myself given her lot.’

‘No doubt, but she is not you.’ I watch Ashe line up another shot. Her strong, lovely fingers trace the width of her bosom, which swells with each ragged breath. ‘She _burns_ with desire. The quietest echo of a woman’s voice is _torture_.’

I can empathise. Kalista’s voice makes my skin crawl. ‘You enjoy this.’

‘Of course. The high and mighty brought low by the purity of base want? My greatest thralls are born that way.’

Ashe contemplates her garden from the doorway, a hand above her swollen belly. I choke and press my knuckles to my breast. If I see _anyone_ who could be the father, no deity would stay my hand. Kalista watches me with that revolting expression, dumb as a grotesque painting. ‘Don’t look at me!’ I yell and she does comply, out of consideration or disgust.

I wish I could turn my eyes from Ashe. Her skin glows like honey.

Months fly by and she holds the babe in her arms. I have struck down creatures from the void but few sights compare to this. Her child has _no face_.

I look frantically about as people emerge from their homes. The faceless are now legion, their thin arms and fat bodies mingle in the roads. The collective fear is palpable. They avoid one another until the streets are empty. Generations haunt each yard, moving soil and placing rocks in fussy and meaningless ways. Even those projects are abandoned, and the faceless peer from windows... forever. Nothing changes. Ashe is nowhere to be seen.

‘With your death, the Avarosan triumph,’ says Kalista. ‘Ashe falls but the monstrous order she birthed lives on. The Winter’s Claw have no direction without you or Volibear.’ She walks along the roof. Her bare feet leave the surface and grip the air. ‘The people are comfortable with laws and infrastructure providing their means. Personal contact is a distant memory. No paths need cross. Every room is a castle and every soul, a sovereign.’

I feel nothing. My legs move unbidden, following Kalista’s lead. ‘This is not life.’

‘It is naught but sadness and fear.’ Kalista surveys the ruin. Once-human blobs cower before her scrutiny. ‘Is it a price worth paying for deliverance from grief, the chance blows of an uncaring world? Perhaps… but I have my own thoughts.’ Kalista reaches for the stars and drives earthward, summoning the rage of heaven, a foul chorus of disembodied heads. They whirl through the streets, drawing lifeless bodies into the eye of a deathly hurricane. Falling spears block out the sky... and we are back in the present.

The dome returns. I see my bloody, shattered corpse. The view is troubling. I am weak and vulnerable, childlike. Recalling the vision of my teenage self, I wonder how far I truly came. Volibear and Tryndamere are down, holding on to life, but they will not survive without help. Tryndamere is gouged and broken, Volibear, encased within a tomb of ice.

Udyr is on the run with Ashe on his back. Her eyes are dull with grief. I had to applaud his logic. Upon my death, he had switched armies without sentiment, knowing Lissandra could not reign unopposed. I doubt the Avarosan would appreciate his ways but that is their loss. Trundle gallops in pursuit, a laughable sight. If he truly believed that he was a “king”, he would not be a witch’s pet. Lissandra herself glides on a chariot of ice, using her magic randomly to phase through walls. The hunt is beneath her. Evidently, it is more impressive to guess at Udyr’s location and hope for an easy kill.

Kalista follows the chase with her commentary. ‘Udyr is fast but he can’t run forever. Ashe is ruined. Seeing her love killed before her eyes, mere seconds after holding a miracle,’ she indicates my bracelet, ‘was too much for her. Eventually, Udyr will have no choice. He will abandon her to save himself. Her death will weaken the soul of the Freljord, melting the dome.’

I choke with rage and sorrow. After everything, I must watch Ashe die? I could have taken her life with honour, not sentenced her to this drawn-out end as a vacant husk. ‘So Lissandra triumphs? I will _not_ allow this!’

‘You have seen the future, or have you forgotten? Anivia descends to rally the survivors. She may not be an inspiration but she is clever and tenacious. Between her, Udyr and their allies, they grind Lissandra’s advance to a halt. A portion of the Freljord is gone forever but the Avarosan endure.’

I am sick of Kalista’s tales. ‘I do not believe you.’

‘Why?’

‘If the future is written then why involve yourself? Why show _me_?’ I circle her, as if a new angle would betray her secrets. ‘You would not yank my chain, torment me with failure, unless...’

With a dull thunderclap, everything goes dark. When I see again, Kalista holds a mighty barbed spear of the dullest black. Her eyes glow with hunger. ‘We are beyond time. Any action _we_ take changes everything.’ She offers her weapon. ‘Answer fate’s call. Swear yourself to vengeance and she is thine.’

‘Lissandra is my enemy… but if she does not shape the future, her death changes nothing.’

Kalista grins, a skull would convey more natural feeling. ‘Simple fool, you have no special hatred for her. She is your foe but an honest one. The grand betrayer... is _you_.’

I reel from her accusation but I _know_ Kalista’s words. They echo in my mind, feeding back into a shrieking wall of guilt.

‘Your hesitation, your weak heart, doomed those who trusted in your strength. Had you struck Ashe without pause, there might still be hope.’ Kalista draws near. I can smell blood. The air around me thickens. ‘Take the oath and I will send you home… to a life of pain without salvation, your vision of the Freljord gone forever. You may lead and conquer but you will stumble into darkness. Your only pleasure will be your deepest wound. Find redemption through the survival of your clan and offer penance through the shameful, desperate love of your worst enemy.’

I look upon the battlefield. We could still win. Udyr is a match for anyone in close combat. If I could prevent or misguide Lissandra’s magic for an instant...

An easy decision, if you are not a coward. The Freljord is wild and untamed. It does not need my “direction”, just an arm to battle the tides of weakness and depravity. I snatch the weapon from Kalista.

Power snakes through every nerve and muscle, claiming each fibre as an instrument of vengeance. The agony drives me to the ground. My blood bubbles with emptiness. A cold permanence locks around my wrist, joining the golden shackle I already bear. At this rate, the cumulative chains will rip my body and soul apart. It would be a mercy.

Through the haze of torment, I see Kalista’s face, curiously unmoved by my acceptance. ‘The oath is taken,’ she says flatly. Now her task is over she can drop her mortal façade. No doubt, I will have plenty of time to discover what she is really like. Wielding our bond like a rope, she tugs and my spirit flies. ‘Come, Sejuani! Fate calls for you!’ My vision floods with green as I writhe on the precipice of life. Before me, Trundle and Lissandra corner Udyr.

Strangely, Udyr is not struggling for breath. He could still run. Does he know I am here? Is he baiting them for me?

I feel Kalista’s powerful arm tense, upon my word, she will fire.

‘Now!’

 

* * *

 

The speed! Even Bristle in full flight does not compare. My innards are crushed together. I scream until my lungs collapse. Trundle and Lissandra are heavier than me but I strike with incredible force, bowling them to the ground. I swing my flail, battering them senseless with arctic fury. Lissandra’s mouth curls in a disbelieving snarl. I know what is coming and I embrace it. She explodes with magic. My body is crushed, burnt, pierced and gouged with ice. I laugh through the pain as Lissandra’s claw squeezes the life out of me.

Her panicked volley of spells wasn’t enough... and now, she is defenceless.

Udyr soars on wings of fire. Lissandra can do nothing but melt before the onslaught. Trundle’s gnashing teeth may drain strength but they do nothing to curb Udyr’s blaze. With my final reserves, I empower my weapon, freezing Trundle before he can escape.

Victory is ours. No doubt, Lissandra will reform and her trollish pet will regenerate but… for now...

I collapse. All I can do is breathe and pray my heart keeps beating. Udyr sits by me, cross-legged. It is rare to see him pause. The chase had exhausted him. After a quiet moment, he speaks. ‘I knew there was a chance if I could stall them.’

‘Your instincts?’ I whisper. My vocal folds remain silent.

‘Experience. I have been on the losing side many times before. I’m still here.’

‘Yes,’ if I could turn my head and look at her… ‘you saved Ashe.’

‘Don’t complain. Someone had to oppose Lissandra.’

‘I understand. Thank you.’

Udyr laughs, a dark but welcome sound. ‘I would rather have _you_ back.’ Above, the cage slowly dissolves, revealing the sun. I’d never been so grateful to see it. As the rays thaw my skin, I feel a heavy tread echo through the ground. Huge paws, alive with static, lift my body. The electrical residue is ticklish but not unpleasant.

I worship no gods but praise the storm for preserving its chosen. Volibear gently brushes my hair. ‘Oh no.’ His maw twitches. Do bears cry? I don’t want to know. ‘Sejuani, my girl, what have you done?’

He can see the void in my soul. ‘I did what I must.’

‘If I had acted sooner...’

‘Don’t excuse my frailty. This foolish heart is mine to bear and I have... paid the price.’

‘It was too high. Ursine or Winter’s Claw, you are _my_ tribe and you will _not_ suffer alone.’

‘I am not your “girl” and I can stand on my own two feet.’

He lowers his head to mine. ‘Not today.’

I can’t argue. If I am too weak to escape his arms then I should not earn the dignity of standing tall. ‘Then could you put me on Bristle? I don’t want anyone to see me like this.’

‘Of course.’

In the corner of my sight, Udyr flashes green, raising his shield. Craning my neck, I see Ashe, a gleaming arrow knocked to her bow. Now I am alive, her spirit has returned. Behind her, limps Tryndamere, his greatsword carving a trench in the rime. Despite his injuries, he needs only one arm to swing his blade.

Ashe approaches carefully. The arrow is a promise of mutual destruction. Even if Volibear and Udyr send her to the void, I would not survive the blast. Her voice is damaged yet bold. ‘Will she live?’

I am too weary to answer. Volibear speaks for me. ‘In a way.’

Ashe regards me with fear and wonder. ‘I thought you were...’ her voice breaks. I can just about look at her and deny my love but the comeliness of her voice weakens me so. ‘Is there anything I can do?’

Anger rises in Volibear’s growl. ‘Become the foe that she deserves.’

I whisper my thanks to him. Ashe appears forlorn but understanding. ‘I don’t think anyone could.’ Throwing back her cowl, she steps forward, a challenge. ‘The Winter’s Claw saved my life. Come to my lands in peace and I will greet you with open arms.’ My vision is weak but I can hear that crooked smile. ‘Disappointed, Sejuani? If you oppose me, why should I say what you want to hear? You do not set the terms of our engagement. No matter how hard you fight, I will _never_ give up on you!’

She kisses her first two fingers and touches the air in farewell. On her way back, she goes to help Tryndamere but he waves off her aid. She laughs and stubbornly props him up. They leave, bickering without malice. I guess they truly are married, even if their bed is cold.

Udyr follows at a safe distance to ensure they leave without incident. Ashe is not above setting an ambush, even now.

I don’t think I’d have her any other way.

Volibear grumbles. ‘After you saved us, the _least_ she could do is honour your principles. As a paramour, she is careless and ungrateful. You could do better.’

‘She probably thought the same when I died.’

‘That _was_ inconsiderate. For the sake of my old heart, don’t do that again.’

‘I can’t make any promises.’ For a brief moment, I felt weightless. Volibear’s simple complaint about Ashe’s behaviour was so… _normal_. I was not a chieftain or a raider, just a woman, and Ashe was just a woman who was bad for me.

Perhaps in another life…

Udyr returns from his mission. ‘They are slow. We can go home, take this settlement and entrench before Ashe can clean the snow from her boots.’

I nod in approval. ‘Then why are we stalling?’

Even if I am blind, others can look ahead. I don’t need to see the future when I could _write_ it.

**Author's Note:**

> There is a sequel called "Prey", also on this site.


End file.
